Pregnant Males?

Seahorses have a rather unusual mating ritual in that the male undergoes pregnancy. This is something of an anomaly in nature – in fact, seahorses are the only known animals with mating rituals of this sort. 

Why do male seahorses get pregnant?

Scientists don’t have a conclusive answer to why male seahorses give birth, but they theorize that this is one of the tactics they use to help the species survive.

One theory suggest that males carry the baby because it gives the species the ability to create more babies quickly. After the female deposits all her eggs into his pouch, she needs time to make more eggs. And while he’s carrying one set of eggs, she’s creating more egg and by the time the male gives birth, they are ready to replicate the process all over again. 

So how do male seahorses get pregnant?

Males have a thickened pouch, which protects the embryo and provides it with necessary nutrients and a supply of oxygen. This is similar to how, in most mammals, the fetus receives its nutrients from the placenta of the mother.

When seahorses mate, the female deposits her eggs into the male's pouch; he is then responsible for fertilizing them, and carrying them until the offspring is born.

A baby seahorse exits the pouch of the father in a process similar to how a baby exits its mother's womb. The process involves the contraction of certain abdominal muscles, which push the fry out of its parent's body.

Credit: NedHardy.com